Brokenhearted, I Come to You, Lord

Lord, God, this is just too much for me to handle. I can’t bear this pain; Please take me home; I’m going crazy; I can’t breathe; I don’t even want to live anymore.

This is the point where many of us begin our journey out of heartbreak and grief, at the bottom of the pit: absolute brokenness and hopelessness. It may not even help very much to hear that the God who created us knows all about it—what we’re going through, what caused it, how much pain we feel, the many conflicting thoughts racing through our minds, all the jumbled, mixed-up emotions we can barely keep up with.

We may be (probably are) questioning God, or even blaming or accusing him. But at least we are addressing it all to the right person. It is God, and only God, who must become the focal point of our thoughts, positive or negative. Cry, scream, complain, question—do everything we need to do, but do it all with God as the subject, the object, the main issue before us. We’ve come to the right place, the throne of God.

In our distress we probably aren’t thinking very theologically. Our emotions are raw, and receiving reasonable advice from someone isn’t going to go very far. A theological lecture isn’t what we’re looking for. But the bedrock facts are there nonetheless. Our Creator is in control of everything, all the time, everywhere. It just so happens that the One in charge of the universe is at the same time our best and most loyal friend. Down the road of our recovery, we’ll rejoice at the fact that our God is absolutely sovereign.

The Psalmist was no stranger to a broken heart, betrayal, disappointment, and numbing pain. His words were recorded for posterity nearly 3000 years ago. The basics of human life are never much different from generation to generation. And the fundamentals of faith have never changed either. The Psalmist assumes the justice and tender mercy of God. He assures us that God uses his infinite power in our behalf. The God of the Bible is our great personal Physician, our welcoming, inviting, merciful Healer.

So never forget this: it’s being at the very point of the intensity of our pain, the situation you’re in right now, that causes us to come to God, either bitterly or in total dependence and loving trust. Keep in mind that never for an instant are we out of his care and oversight. Never.

So pray whatever prayers come to mind. The prayers don’t have to be correct, or impressive, or even very spiritual sounding. They just have to come from the heart. And we can’t fool God anyway. Tell him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. What counts is that you’re telling it all to God.

If you can’t pray or don’t want to, know that even in this, God sees into your heart and Scripture promises us: the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We don’t know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 8:26).

Lord, I’m too stunned, too shocked, and too low to pray at all today. I don’t know what to feel or think, and I don’t even know what to say. Holy Spirit, please pray for me with words that I don’t have. I have no one else to lean on, and there is no one else who can really help me. Uphold me, carry me through this time in my life, and bring me to the promised land of your joy and security, in Jesus’ name, help me. Amen.

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John I. Snyder is an international pastor, author, and conference speaker. His highly acclaimed prayer guide Your 100 Day Prayer from Thomas Nelson Publishers has transformed the lives of readers all over the world, taking them on a 100-day journey in prayer over a specific issue or circumstance in their lives. John received his Master of Theology and Master of Divinity degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey, and he received his Doctor of Theology degree magna cum laude in New Testament Studies from the University of Basel, Switzerland.